Photos show the chaos of Jim Jordan's first attempt at becoming speaker of the House

Bryan MetzgerJan 13, 2024, 15:01 IST

Ahead of the first vote, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy cackles as Rep. Jim Jordan speaks with an aide.Win McNamee/Getty Images

Rep. Jim Jordan lost the first vote on his speakership bid on Tuesday.
He's vowed to continue fighting, and he could still win the gavel.

Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio is struggling to become the next speaker of the House.

Two weeks to the day since Kevin McCarthy was ousted from the job, Jordan is now the GOP nominee for speaker — and he's running into the same problem that McCarthy did.

During the first vote in the House chamber on Tuesday, 20 Republicans voted against Jordan.

Whereas it was hard-right conservatives who opposed McCarthy in January, Jordan is facing opposition from an eclectic mixture of moderates, members of the top committee that handles government spending, and others who are still upset about McCarthy's ouster.

But Jordan's not done yet, and he's vowing to continue fighting for the gavel — just as McCarthy did in January.

Here are some key moments from today's vote.

Rep. Patrick McHenry, a McCarthy ally and the current speaker pro tempore, presided over the vote

Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

An unnamed lawmaker tallies up votes for Jordan

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

George Santos and Lauren Boebert — two of the GOP's most controversial lawmakers — sat beside each other during the vote

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Jordan supporter, returned to Washington last week to vote in the speaker race just over a month after giving birth

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Rep. Victoria Spartz voted for Rep. Thomas Massie for speaker — and he may not have appreciated it

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

At one point, Jordan had to cast a vote for himself — and his GOP colleagues gave him a standing ovation

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Democrats occasionally cheered and booed during the vote

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images

Democrats remained united for the 16th time this year, with all 212 of them voting for Hakeem Jeffries to be speaker

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images

Some Democrats appeared bored with the proceedings

Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

The entire chamber erupted in applause when Alaska Rep. Mary Peltola — who's been absent for weeks in the wake of her husband's death — cast her vote for Jeffries

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

The entire chamber erupted in applause when Alaska Rep. Mary Peltola — who's been absent for weeks in the wake of her husband's death — cast her vote for Jeffries

Jordan makes a sheepish expression as he's asked about the 20 Republicans who didn't vote for him

Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

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Photos show the chaos of Jim Jordan's first attempt at becoming speaker of the House

Rep. Patrick McHenry, a McCarthy ally and the current speaker pro tempore, presided over the vote

An unnamed lawmaker tallies up votes for Jordan

George Santos and Lauren Boebert — two of the GOP's most controversial lawmakers — sat beside each other during the vote

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Jordan supporter, returned to Washington last week to vote in the speaker race just over a month after giving birth

Rep. Victoria Spartz voted for Rep. Thomas Massie for speaker — and he may not have appreciated it

At one point, Jordan had to cast a vote for himself — and his GOP colleagues gave him a standing ovation

Democrats occasionally cheered and booed during the vote

Democrats remained united for the 16th time this year, with all 212 of them voting for Hakeem Jeffries to be speaker

Some Democrats appeared bored with the proceedings

The entire chamber erupted in applause when Alaska Rep. Mary Peltola — who's been absent for weeks in the wake of her husband's death — cast her vote for Jeffries

Jordan makes a sheepish expression as he's asked about the 20 Republicans who didn't vote for him